Jonathan Brown

An 88-year-old woman who suffered a suspected minor heart attack has been left crying in pain for almost four hours as she waited for an ambulance.

Great grandmother Joan Mathers, who lives in Alwoodley, Leeds, called family for help when she collapsed at home on January 3. Relatives feared she had broken her hip and called 999 at around 11.40am.

Her granddaughter Victoria Pape, from Holt Park, claims she repeatedly called for an ambulance amid fears her frail relative was in serious danger, as she had been sick and was complaining of chest and hip pains, but had to wait until around 3.30pm for her to be taken to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).

Mrs Mathers is still in hospital and following scans was found to have no broken bones but a cardiologist has found that she may have suffered a minor heart attack. He could not confirm exactly when it happened.

Mrs Pape, 35, believes she witnessed the heart attack.

“I honestly presumed it was when she was on the floor as she said she was having pains in her chest, that was after she had been sick,” she said.

“It could have been really serious. Somebody’s going to die and not get the care they need because the ambulances can’t get there because of the cuts.”

Paul Mudd, from Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, has apologised for the delay.

He said: “The call came in during a period of very high demand and we were doing our best to respond as quickly as possible.”